inspire-indiana Chapter 685 Social Change, Reform is Inevitable
Chapter 685 Social Change, Reform is Inevitable
"I know that the opening of Tong'an Cloth Shop will have an impact on your business. To you, Tong'an Cloth Shop can even be called...an enemy."
Shen Zheng was surrounded by a group of merchants in the center of the crowd. Zhao Xiu and Xiao Yuan protected her on both sides, preventing others from touching her at all.
The words she suddenly said were like a thunderclap that suddenly exploded in the crowd, making everyone's expressions change, like a face-changing drama.
Shock, panic, fear and many other expressions eventually turned into a stiff smile.
"Master Shen, what are you talking about? We are able to come to the ceremony and congratulate you and Anbufang. This is the blessing we have earned in our previous lives. Don't you agree?"
"Oh, of course, Lord Shen, you are really too kind! Isn't this how we open a business? People are not stupid, they will naturally choose the one who has the best products. Compared with the cotton cloth woven by your cloth shop, the ones we sell... Oh! Let's not talk about it! Anyway, we are here today to sincerely congratulate you and your cloth shop!"
Although this is true.
This is also the current situation of a number of linen, silk and satin workshops.
Can……
To be honest, it doesn't sound good!
Who is really willing to admit that they are not as skilled as others? Who is willing to watch the workshop they have worked so hard to build being surpassed by other workshops in the blink of an eye, or even being trampled underfoot?
The smiles on their faces were uglier than crying.
"Please stop laughing, it's very hypocritical." Shen Zheng sighed, "No matter what you think, I don't have much to say, so please listen carefully."
The smiles on everyone's faces gradually disappeared, and some people rubbed the corners of their stiff mouths.
It turns out that Lord Shen really doesn't fall for flattery.
The originally false and warm scene suddenly disappeared, the river breeze made everyone's clothes rustle, and even Shen Zheng who was surrounded in the center felt a cool breeze.
"You said something very right just now."
“We are all open for business.”
“But there is actually another sentence behind this sentence.”
Everyone looked at Shen Zheng.
"What we do is never a one-time business, right? None of you dare to say that you can stay at home for three years and make a living for three years after you open it, right?"
Fabric is not an antique, nor is it jewelry or jade, nor is it a large appliance. Therefore, the people's demand for fabric is a "long-term demand", which is a truth that all fabric merchants understand, otherwise they would not choose the weaving industry.
Shen Zheng swept her eyes across the faces and spoke in a deep voice, "Social change and progress are inevitable trends. For today's Great Zhou, industrial transformation, improved living standards, and increased comfort are also inevitable trends. But what remains unchanged is the needs of the people, or rather... the needs of the people will also increase further with the progress of society, and will never decrease, right?"
Yes or no?
The cloth shops looked at each other subconsciously.
Shen Zheng took their reactions into consideration and continued, "Since the demand will not decrease, I think you should not focus on Tong'an Cloth Shop, but on your own business. Whether it is linen or silk or satin, they are obviously superior to cotton."
In fact, Shen Zheng has always understood where their worries came from.
Cotton cloth is of high quality and low price, so it is understandable that they are worried about the impact on their own cloth mills.
But they have never thought about why cotton cloth is "good quality and cheap".
Is it just because Tongan County has textile machines that can weave cotton cloth and produce printing?
Shen Zheng was very sure—it was not.
But this long passage was indeed a bit confusing to the ears of the cloth merchants, causing many of them to scratch their heads and frown.
They have never been to school. If they really had enough knowledge, why would they do business? They would have taken the imperial examination and become officials long ago!
Someone was about to ask, but was interrupted by Shen Zheng: "I hope you can think carefully about what I said after you go back. If you can figure it out, you can come to Tongan County again in seven days."
Someone in the crowd opened his mouth.
Shen Zheng predicted: "If you don't understand? Not understanding is also part of social change and reform."
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhao Xiu and Xiao Yuan raised their iron bars and signaled everyone to disperse.
Some people gave way obediently, some stood there thinking hard, and some scratched their heads in confusion.
Why did you come to Tongan County seven days later after figuring it out?
What is Lord Shen going to do?
Did he want all their cloth shops to be named Tong'an Cloth Shop? !
Or do you want to... shut them down?!
Why do these scholars always speak half of their sentences? It’s really... frustrating!
Outside the crowd, Huang Jin turned around and asked, "Madame Chang, what does Lord Shen mean by social change?"
Nanny Chang was helping the old lady look at the cloth. After a while, she replied, "Time flies and things change. Jin'er, can you imagine that thousands of years ago, ordinary people couldn't even afford linen clothes? Even before that, let alone clothes, it was lucky for a little girl to have a grass skirt to cover her hips."
"Ah...?" Jin'er blushed at Nanny Chang's blunt words, "Nanny Chang, you are so... "
"That? Which one?" The old lady, who was supported by Nanny Chang, laughed softly from under her veil: "Do you know that Shen Zheng has one more thing to say?"
"Lord Shen, do you have anything else to say?" Huang Jin asked in confusion, and stepped forward to hold the old lady's arm.
The old lady stretched out a finger and touched her heart.
"She said in her heart that old antiques that cannot keep up with social changes should be eliminated. Workshops cannot live in the past, and neither can people."
After saying this, her fingers gradually moved up and closer under Huang Jin's puzzled gaze, and finally landed on Huang Jin's brow.
"You are a little antique who is shy even when hearing the word 'butt'. You are dangerous."
She is a little antique!
Huang Jin's eyes were filled with shock and he took two steps back.
She was called "antique" by an old lady over sixty years old!
The undisguised laughter of Lu Luo and Mei the coachman reached her ears. Under her veil, her face flushed red as she said aggrievedly, "Madam, should I ask Lord Shen how to buy some cotton cloth…"
The river breeze blew up a corner of the old lady's hood. She raised her head slightly and waved her hand, "Forget it, let the little antique try."
Amid the even more unbridled laughter of Luluo and Mei the coachman, Huang Jin held down her veil with one hand and lifted up her skirt with the other, and ran quickly towards Shen Zheng.
"Master Shen!"
"Master Shen, please stay!"
Shen Zheng had just walked out of the crowd for a while and was about to go to the cloth shop when she heard the call.
She stopped and turned back slowly.
The merchants on the dam also heard the shout. They subconsciously stopped talking and turned to look at the figure wearing a veiled hat.
"This little girl again? Why is she calling Master Shen?"
"She can't talk to Lord Shen with her veil on, right?"
"That's really rude! Let's go and take a look!"